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1. Re-service of food such as bread, rolls and ice, which has been served to a customer can be a means to transmit disease-causing microorganisms from one person to another. Leftover potentially hazardous foods, such as milk, coffee cream, appetizers and cooked rice, which are saved for re-service to another customer are potentially contaminated and temperature abused. Once foods are served, with the exception of packaged and are non-potentially hazardous foods, retail food establishments are required to discard the leftovers. Saving and re-serving leftover foods is not allowed.

Meats, poultry, fish and other raw animal foods contain disease-causing microorganisms. Offering these foods for customer self service can result in cross contamination and the transmission of disease-causing microorganisms to hands, packaging materials and surrounding surfaces including shopping carts. Retail food establishments are not allowed to offer self service of raw animal foods to the public. An exception exists for buffets and salad bars that offer foods such as sushi or raw shellfish; and buffets such as Mongolian grills that offer raw, ready to cook meats, poultry and fish that are intended for immediate cooking and consumption on premises.

2 . Cross contamination must also be avoided by separating raw animal foods from ready-to-eat foods. Produce, deli meats, cheeses, cooked foods and other ready-to eat foods, must be stored above or separated from raw meats, poultry, fish and eggs. This prevents juices and blood from the raw animal foods from getting into ready-to-eat foods. In addition, raw animal foods must be stored by the productís adequate cooking temperature. Raw meat roasts and steaks must be stored above or separated from lamb, pork, fish and eggs. Hamburger and other raw ground meats must be below or separated from the above mentioned foods and raw poultry must be separated from all other foods.

Cross contamination must also be avoided during food preparation. Disease-causing microorganisms can be transferred onto food from contaminated utensils or soiled work surfaces. Cutting boards, utensils and sinks used to prepare raw meats, poultry and fish, must be thoroughly washed and sanitized prior to working with produce or other ready-to-eat foods. Equipment such as meat grinders and saws must be broken down and cleaned and sanitized between working with beef, pork, lamb, or fish.